Apparatus for the treatments of materials in grains or pieces, such as minerals, coals, and the like



Aug. 20, 1940. l.. HoYols 2,211,895

APPARATUS FOR THE TREATMENTS 0F MATERIALS IN GRAINS'OR PIECES,

SUCH AS MINERALS ,--C0I.|S,` AND THE LIKE original Filed April 6, 1936 Patented Aug. 20, 1940 UNITED lSTATES PATENT OFFICE Lon Hoyois,

Gilly, Belgium Original application April 6, 1936, Serial No.

72,410. Divided and this application July 12.

1938, Serial No. 218,869. In Belgium, France, and Great Britain April l2, 1935 7 Claims.

The invention relatesto the treatments of materials in grains or pieces, more particularly, but not exclusively. ininerals, coals and the like, in order to insure predetermined quantities and, or

classes or categories of said materials to be removed or separated from a mass thereof.

In my application Serial No. '72,410 dated April 2, 1936, of which the present application is a division. a, process is described and claimed 10 comprising carrying the materials in the form of a current, for example in the form of a washing bed, while permitting, during the advance of the materials, the separation of at least a part of the current, for example by allowing the bed to fall 5 in, and then to act on the portions separating from one another, as well as on the separated portion, by means of adjustable water currents in such a way that the action of said currents on the portions separating from one another is either nil or controlled, while the separated portion is acted upon by a current having an adjusted value between predetermined limits, particularlyfrom a zero value to a maximum.

The object of the invention is to provide an apparatus adapted for carrying out the aforesaid process, and comprising means for forming a mass of the materials to be treated as a movable current, means for separating a portion of the said mass and means for mechanically separating out and carrying away a predetermined quantitative portion of the portion separated out from the massl as more fully described hereafter with reference to the annexed drawing, in which:

Figs. l, 2 and 3 represent in sectional longitudinal elevation a sorting apparatus in accordance with the invention, illustrated under different operating conditions.

With reference to the drawing, A designates a trough of treatment, showing a certain general slope and provided with a supply of materials B and an adjustable water inlet` C.

A slot or opening D is formed in the bottom of the trough, extending the whole width of said bottom, the useful area of said slot or opening being adjustable by means of a movable damper G. Preferably, a Weir F is provided downstream of the slot or opening D as illustrated.

Depending on the trough A, below the slotor opening D, is arranged a box E provided with a discharge opening 0 the cross area of which is adjustable by means of the damper P, and with two water inlets K and J adjustable by means of the valves or cocks I and 2.

Further, the box is preferably provided with two partitions H and I bounding a space R adapted to receive the materials entering the box through the slot or opening D, as well as with two walls S and T forming extensions to the partitions H and I and providing for two passages L.

In the apparatus arranged as described, the 5 cock or valve 2 being closed, if the cock or valve I is opened, the water supplied through the pipe J passes to and feeds the discharge opening O.

Then the progressive opening of the cock or valve causes the water to enter thevbox E and the trough A up to the level of the upper edge a of the weir F. At this moment all the water ,supplied through the pipe J is discharged at the openingl 0 and no current flows through the passage L and the slot or opening D. Y

Assuming the water supply from the pipe J is reduced, the water level within the trough A will naturally be lowered below thev edge a, but by opening the cock or valve 2 controlling the water supply K, the water level within the trough A 20 may be restored at the level of the edge a. At this moment a current ilows from the left to the right in the passage L, which is equal to the supply from the pipe, K while no current ows through the opening or slot D.

The combination of the two currents J and K thus enables, together with a hydrostatic head h, a current to be obtained flowing from the left to the right within the passage L, and which may be adjusted'as desired from a maximum value corresponding to the complete closure of the cock or valve I' to zero value corresponding to the complete closure of the v'alve or cock 2.

In operation, assuming coals are to be treated, while the water level is maintained at the level of the edges a of the weir F as aforesaid, the materials fed in the trough A and carried therein by the adjusted water current issued from the supply C, arrange themselves in the form of a washing bed abutting against the weir'F and on which move the materials carried by the water current flowing along the trough.

On the slot or opening D, the washing bed falls in, and the materials freely fall within the space R..

Assuming the established conditions are such that no current ilows through the passage L, the materials entering the space R settle on the bottom of the box E and form therein a hillock the height of which progressively increases, and iills completely the space R as illustrated in Fig. l. Under such conditions the materials entering the trough at B pass as a Whole over the Weir F, and the opening 0 discharges nothing than water from the pipe J.

On the contrary if the conditions are such that there is caused to ilow from the left to the riaht within the passage L a current the value of which is adjusted in the manner aforesaid, said current will carry continuously, towards the discharge opening O, a portion of the mass deposited on the bottom of the box. the carried portion depending only on the value of said current.

The mass of materials supplied at B is then divided up into two portions when passing over the slot or opening D, a portion passing over the weir F and another portion passing through the slot or opening within the space R, this latter portion being naturally equal to that carried towards the discharge opening 0 through the current owing from left to right within the passage L.

It results from the above that by an appropriate adjustment of the water supplies J and K any desired discharge, that is to say the desired extraction at the slot or opening D will be obtained. Figure 2 illustrates the described operation.

In case the velocity of the current in the passage L is suiilcient to remove the material as it settles on the bottom of the box, the space R empties and the hillock disappears (Fig. 3). The quantity of material removed through the slot or opening D then reaches its maximum value, controlled by the area of the slot or opening, the cross section of the discharge opening O being naturally calculated to enable a larger discharge than that of the slot or opening D.

Thus by suitably adjusting the cocks I and 2. a predetermined quantity of material can be extracted from the trough A, which quantity may be adjusted at any desired value between zero and a maximum value controlled by the sectionll area of the opening or slot D.

Should the materials supplied at B be formed with grains or particles of dierent sizes and shapes, as for example in the case of a raw mass of coals, minerals and the like, said grains and particles, under the action of the carrying current from C arrange themselves in superimposed layers, more or less according to their decreasing specific weights from the lower to the upper p0rtion of the bed thus formed.

Owing to the removal taking place at the slot or opening D, a part of the lower layers, and consequently the heavier products of the bed enters the space R..

The removal being adjustable at will, as aforesaid, it follows that the. apparatus enables the original mass introduced at the head of the trough A, and already classified, to be divided into two secondary masses of which the one, removed at D, will bemainly formed of the most dense products and the other, which remains in the trough A and passes over the weir F, will be mainly formed of the lighter products, the adjustment of the opening or slot D and of the two cocks I and 2 enabling the relation between the two masses to oe adjusted as desired.

Also, the currents J and K may be arranged to enable the particles the removal of which is not desired to be retained in the trough, or to permit the entrance to the space R of particles of which a discharge may be desired.

To this end, and while the materials of the trough A are classified in the order of their densities, an ascending current may be created in the space R which enters the trough through the slot or opening D, said current being such as to retain in the trough the particles, the density of which is less than a given limit.

Both cocks i and 2, or the cock 2 alone being in operation, a controlled increase of the output of this latter cock relative to its output value adapted to cause the desired discharge current in the passage L over a part or all the hydrostatic head h, will enable an ascending current to be obtained in the space R and through the opening or slot D. 'Ihe particles, the density of which is lower than the limit corresponding to the ascending force of the said current are then prevented to pass through the slot or opening D and, on the contrary, are carried away over the weir F together with the light particles.

On the contrary should it become apparent that the materials passing over the weir F retain particles of density of which is greater than a predetermined limit, it would be sufilcient, while both cocks I and'2 or the cock 2 alone are in operation, to reduce with the desired value the hydrostatic head formed by said cock 2 to obtain a descending current in the space R. The particles, the density of which is greater than a given limit, will then pass through the slot or opening D and be discharged at the opening 0.

It will be understood that the invention is not limited to the treatment of coals or minerals, but is also applicable to the treatment of any other material in grains, particles, or pieces having a greater density than that of a liquid selected to execute the desired treatment.

It will also be understood that modifications may be made in the apparatus within the limits of the appended claims.

' I claim:

1. An apparatus for treating materials in grains or pieces, such as minerals, coals and the like, to remove desired portions thereof comprising an inclined trough having an adjustable slot in the bottom thereof and adjustable liquid supplies therein, a box below said trough and. in communication therewith through said slot, adjustabledischarge means in the bottom of the box towards one side thereof, means in the box at a distance from said end wall for supporting the solid materials falling from the trough through the slot thereof said supporting means located at a level not lower than the level of the said discharge means, partition walls in the box, depending from the top thereof on either side of the slot and of the material supporting means, adjustable liquid supply means associated to the box, said liquid supply means being located on the side of the said partitions and material supporting means adjacent the discharge means and substantially on the opposite side, respectively.

2. An apparatus according to claim 1, including substantially horizontal partitions in the lower portion of the box and at a distance above the material supporting means of said box.

3. An apparatus according to claim 1, including substantially horizontal partitions in the lower portion of the box and at a distance above the material supporting means of said box, said partitions forming guide means for liquid currents issued from the liquid supply means of the box located on the side opposite the discharge means relative to the material supporting means.

4. An apparatus according to claim l, including substantially horizontal partitions in the lower portion of the box and at a distance above the material supporting means of said box, said partitions extending away on either side from the depending partition walls of the box.

5. An apparatus for treating materials in grains or pieces. such as minerals, coals and the like, to

remove desired portions thereof, hcomprising an inclined trough having an adjustable slot in the bottom thereof and adjustable liquid supplies therein, a box depending from the trough and in communication with said trough through the slot in the bottom thereof, adjustable discharge means in the bottom of the box, supporting means in the box for the solid materials falling from the trough through the slot thereof, said sup-` porting means located at a level not lower than the level of the said discharge means, adjustable liquid supply means for building up a hydrostatic head of predetermined value on said discharge means and forming a predetermined liquid discharge through said discharge'means, and liquid supply means distinct from the liquid supply means rst named for forming liquid currents owing crosswise through the box towards the discharge means and sweeping the said supporting means, the last named liquid supply means being located at a level not lower than the level of the said supporting means.

6. An apparatus for treating materials in grains or pieces, such as minerals, coals and the like, to remove desired portions thereof, comprising an inclined trough having an adjustable slot in the bottom thereof and adjustable liquid supplies therein, a box depending from the trough and in communication| with said trough through the slot in the bottom thereof, adjustable discharge means in the bottom of the box, supporting means in the box for the solid materials falling from the trough through the slot thereof, said supporting means located at a level not lower than the level of the said discharge means, adjustable liquid supply means for building up a hydrostatic head of predetermined value on said discharge means and located substantially above said discharge means for forming a predetermined liquid discharge through said discharge means, and liquid supply means distinct from the liquid supply means first named for forming liquid currents flowing crosswise through the box towards the discharge means and sweeping the said supporting means, the last named liquid supply means being located at a level not lower than the level of the said supporting means.

'7. An apparatus for treating materials in grains or pieces, such as minerals, coals and the like, to remove desired portions thereof comprising an inclined trough having an adjustable slot in the bottom thereof, and adjustable liquid supplies therein, a box below said trough and in communication therewith through said slot, adjustable discharge means in the bottom of the box towards one side thereof, means in the box for supporting the solid materials falling from the trough through the slot thereof, said supporting means located at a level not lower than the level of the said discharge means, adjustable liquid supply means associated to the box, certain of said liquid supply means located at the same side of the supporting means as the discharge means and the other liquid supply means located substantially opposite the said discharge means relatively to the said supporting means, and partition means above said supporting means for guiding the liquid currents issued from the last named liquid supply means across the said supporting means. Y

' LoN HoYoIs. 

